After Beijing, we (that is me and my buddy Josh) spent a couple days in Singapore. We stayed at some friends' who have a lovely flat near Orchard Road, Singapore's main shopping district. Singapore is a large, tropical, spotlessly clean city-state devoted to commerce. It's filled with huge malls and department stores, and--more importantly--ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT FOOD COURTS.
Mmmmmmm..Doooonuts...
I replaced half the weight I lost in India on the Beijing/Singapore trip. Eating and shopping are the national pastimes in Singapore. We ate at the outdoor hawker market, inside the malls, at the house, and in the airport--donuts, chicken rice, brownies, cranberry bread, Dairy Queen (Peanut Buster Parfaits are not as good here), Burger King (our host had a craving and sent the maid out to get it while we drank), custard puff, cheese, hummus, soba noodles and juices.
Around meals, we managed to see some beautiful orchids (30 or 40 varieties) at the Botanic Gardens and did some shopping. The orchids were definitely the most enjoyable non-food activity, since I don't like shopping, especially in Asia.
"Um excuse me--do you have this in extra, extra, EXTRA large?"
Every major European, Japanese, and American fashion outlet is represented in Singapore, and the prices are about what you would pay in the US. Sadly, in addition to being an XL in India, I am positively enormous in Singapore and Beijing. The only clothing I came close to buying was a man's wool coat at the Shangri-La Beijing. To get shoes before the wedding, I had to go to three shoe stores before finding one that had had any in a size 8 (one female clerk actually got bug-eyed and laughed).
It seems my brawny, muscular frame is too much for high fashion. I sometimes couldn't even get sleeves over my arms, and if I did find the next size up, it was too baggy around the middle. Besides the sizing issue, most of the clothes available are items one wears to do more shopping, not something I would wear to work (too short, too low-cut, too gold-glittered). I pray fashion in the US has not gone to stupid as it has in Asia..
I did get some treats for myself and friends at Muji and purchased a knock-off iPod Shuffle for $20 since my actual Shuffle is dying a slow death (and no way can I work out without music here with the squeaka-squeaka of the exercise equipment). I paid $15 too much--the device is possibly the flimsiest piece of electronics I've ever had.
Relaxing
We spent the evening at the house talking, eating, and enjoying the lovely tropical night. Day two we spent buying more food and making a half-hearted attempt to camera shop before heading to the airport and returning to dusty, chaotic Bangalore.
3 years ago
